Kinds of Ovarian Cancer

A cancer diagnosis turns lives upside down. Ovarian cancer isn't an easy diagnosis to deal with, but thanks to advances in medical technology it is a highly curable type of cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer in its earliest stages have a 5-year survival rate of around 93 percent.

The Facts

• Ovarian cancer used to be called "the silent killer," because it had often spread to other parts of the body before it was found. Now, women are more in tune to their bodies, recognizing the symptoms earlier and getting prompt treatment. However, according to the Mayo Clinic, only about 20 percent of women are diagnosed before tumor growth spreads beyond the ovaries. There are three main types of ovarian tumors, which include: sex cord-stromal, germ cell and epithelial ovarian tumors.

Sex Cord-Stromal Tumors

• Sex cord-stromal tumors are made up of cell types from the sex cords and gonadal stroma. This type of tumor accounts for 10 percent of all ovarian tumors. According to Johns Hopkins Pathology, 70 percent of women who suffer from this type of ovarian cancer are diagnosed in the first stage. Sertoli-Leydig is a type of sex cord-stromal tumor that causes infrequent menstrual periods, hoarse voice, cessation of periods before menopause and facial hair. Other types of sex cord-stromal neoplasms are: granulosa cell tumor, sertoli cell tumor, thecoma, leydig cell tumor, fibroma, sclerosing stromal tumor and fibrosarcoma.

Germ Cell Tumors

• Germ cell tumors account for approximately 20 percent of ovarian tumors. They are believed to come from primitive germ cells of the embryonic gonad. Dysgerminoma makes up 50 percent of the germ cell tumor cases, making it the most-common germ cell tumor. Other types of germ cell tumors include: polyembryomas, mixed germ cell tumors, teratoma, immature teratoma, mature cycstic teratoma, monodermal teratoma, yolk sac tumor, dysgerminoma, embryonal carcinoma and choriocarcinoma.

Epithelial Ovarian Tumors

• Surface epithelial tumors account for 80 percent to 90 percent of all malignant ovarian tumors. These types of tumors are broken down into five subtypes. The tissue of the serous subtype resembles that of the fallopian tubes. The mucinous subtype tissue resembles the GI tract or endocervical epithelium. The endometriod subtype tissue appears to be that of the proliferative endometrium. Clear cell tissue resembles the gestational endometrium, and transitional cell tissue appears to be from the urinary tract epithelium.

Treatment

• Surgery is the most common method of treatment when it comes to ovarian cancer. A gynecologic oncologist will perform the surgery, which usually includes removing both ovaries, the uterus, the fallopian tubes, lymph nodes surrounding the area and the omentum, which is a fold of fatty abdominal tissue where ovarian cancer usually spreads. The surgeon will also remove as much cancer from the abdomen as possible, and take tissue and fluid samples from the abdomen to examine for signs of cancer. This will help identify the stage of ovarian cancer and determine if additional therapy will be needed.